Steve Hansen has paid tribute to Kieran Read, his All Blacks No.8 and a prime contender for the International Rugby Board and International Rugby Players Association Player of the Year awards.
Hansen said on the IRB's Total Rugby radio show that Read had enjoyed a fantastic year and had developed as a player and as a leader. "He led the team very, very well when Richard [McCaw] was out, and I think he grew from that experience," Hansen said. "But he can play the game and he's got a mental fortitude that is up there with all the good world-class players.
"At the moment I think he probably is the No.1 player in the world."
The All Blacks have a history of great No.8s from Sir Brian Lochore and moving through Wayne Shelford and Zinzan Brooke, and Read is up there in their company, Hansen said.
Hansen also explained the reasons behind the All Blacks' record-breaking unbeaten season, and All Blacks rugby generally.
"The All Blacks are expected to win every game so you don't get the luxury of going World Cup to World Cup, and we wouldn't want it any other way," he said. "Our fans set a very high expectation then the players have got to come in, and the management crew have got to come in over the top of that with their own expectations even higher.
"As a result you get a pretty consistent performance from the team over many, many years."
Hansen also explained that the legacy of the All Blacks was such that newcomers quickly came to appreciate its importance to the team, He said that everyone involved in the side - playing and managing - acknowledged they were just "passing through" and had the attitude of trying to leave the team better than they found it.
"The jersey won't stand up on its own," Hansen said. "It needs people to fill it up and do the right thing."